Soap press



(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. D. MELLEN 8v G. C. BECKWITH. SOAP PRESS.

N0. 532,891. Patented Jan. '22, 1895..

WITNEEEES- Inh/ENT URE (No M'odel.)l 8 Sheets-Sheet 2,

13.11). MELLEN 8v GIC. BECKWITH. SOAP PRESS.

No. 532,891. Patented Jan. ZZ, 1895. L01

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(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 5. y

E. D; MELLEN & G. C. BECKWITH. SOAP PRESS.

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' SOAP PRESS. A No. 532,891. Patented Jan.22, 1895.

wrrNEEEEE. rInh/EMTURE (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 7.

RD. MELLEN an GQG. BEGKWITH. SOAP PRESS.

No'. 532,891. Patented. Jan. 22, 1895.

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Na l 1 NiTniD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN D. MELLEN, OF CAMBRIDGE, AND GEORGE C. BECKWITH,CF SOMER- VILLE,ASSIGNORS TO CURTIS, DAVIS d'. CO., OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHU- SETTS.

SOAP-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters '.Eatent No. 532,891, datedJanuary 22, 1895.

Application filed May 10, 1892.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN D. MELLEN, of Cambridge, and GEORGE C.BECKWITH, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSoap- Pressing Machines, of which the following is 'a specification.

This invention has relation to machines for ro molding and pressing soapand other compressible substances for the purpose ofl compacting thesame, and giving requisite form to, and stamping or impressing desiredornamentation, mark, or lettering upon cakes or I5 bars thereof. v

It is the object of this invention to provide an organized machine forthe purpose mentioned, which will accomplish the pressing and molding ofsoap much more expedi- :o tiously, economically, and efficiently thanthe same can be effected by machines now commonly employed.

` chine, considered as a whole, which is adaptz 5 ed to attain the endsofthe before mentioned purpose; and it consists also of improved partsof devices and combinations or groups of parts which may be used as isherein shown and described, or may be employed in ma- 3o chinesdifferently organized, equipped, or arranged. i

Our invention will first be described in connection with the annexeddrawings, forming a part of this specification, and then be pointed outin the claims appended.

Figure 1, is a side View of our improved machine. Fig. 2, is a top planview thereof. Fig. 8, is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2.Fig. 4, is a sectional detail view 4o taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 3.Fig. 5, is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6, is asectional View taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7, is a sectionaldetail view designed particularly to show the manner of operating thedie-bars. Fig. 8, is a side elevation of the means employed to controlthe cake of soap at the time of, and previous to, its being acted uponby the die. Fig. 9, is a top plan view of the means shown in Fig 8. 5oFig. 10, is a diagram intended to show the Serial No. 432,431. (Nomodel.)

manner in which the dies act upon a cake of soap from the time the cakeis fed into position therebetween to its release or discharge from thedies.

The same letters designate the same parts or features as the case maybe, wherever they occur.

In the drawings: a. designates the frame which may be of any form andcomposed of any material suited to the operation of the machine.

b is the driving shaft which may be rotated by a belt passing around apulley c and driven from apulley on a main shaft suitably located. Thedriving shaft is journaled in suitable bearings on the frame c, and hassecured upon it two gear Wheels d d which mesh'with gear wheels e csecured to the hubs ff, or it may mesh with gear teeth formed upon theends of a cylinder or drum g.

The hubs ff are provided .with suitable bearing bushings hhand arejournaled upon a stationary shaft z', keyed,as at j, in a standard la ofthe frame.`

l designates a cam cylinder and by this term it is meant to define acylinder provided with cams or cam grooves keyed to the shaft i so as tobe held stationary therewith, around which cam cylinder the cylinder ordrum g is adapted to be revolved.

m designates a shaft provided at one end with a gear n which is engagedand driven by a gear d on the driving shaft b, and provided at its otherend with a bevel gear o which meshes with and drives a similar bevelgear p on the adjacent end of a counter-shaft q to the opposite end ofwhich is secured a spur gear r which meshes with and drives a small idlegear s, the latter engaging and driving a spur gear t, which isconnected with a pulley or drum (not clearly shown) around which, and apulley or drumu, passes the feed belt or apron c, the upper or forwardmoving portion of which is arranged to advance along the bottom of thefeed raceway fw. See Figs. 2 and 5.

0c designates a tank adapted to contain water or other liquid, arrangedbelow the feed raceway, and beneath the outward traveling portion of thebelt which passes in contact roo with a roller fy journaled in bearingson the tank x, and dipping into the liquid therein, in order tolubricate the outer surface of the belt o, if necessary. A suitablespring plate .e may be provided below the belt for pressing out undueaccumulation of water in the covering of the roller y.

Upon the shaft m is secured a sprocket wheel a around which, and asprocket wheel ZJ arranged at or to the rear of the forward end of thefeed raceway, is passed a spiked or studded chain or apron c?, the upperor forward moving portion of which advances along the bottom of the soapalley d', which extends from the forward or inner end of the feedraceway to a point centrally over the revoluble cylinder or drum.

e' designates die-boxes formed in or upon the periphery of the cylinderg, at equal distances apart. There may be as many of these die-boxes andtheir co-operating adj un cts employed on a single cylinder, as may befound convenient or feasible. In the present instance, the cylinder isequipped with four dieboxes.

f designates the dies, a pair of which are employed in connection witheach die-box so as to operate upon opposite sides of a cake or bar ofsoap in the die-boxes, and eect the compression, molding, and marking ofthe same. Each die is composed of two parts; a central or panel part gand an outer or borderpart h. The panel part g of each die is secured tothe forward end of a longitudinally movable bar or plate i', and theborder part is connected to a similar bar or plate j', movable in likemanner, making the two parts of the die independently movable.

A stud or bolt Zr is connected with each bar t" and is extended througha slot or op'ening in the bar or plate j', and is provided on its innerend with an anti-friction roll Z arranged to operate in the cam groove mon the face of the stationary cylinder Z; and the bar or plate j hasVsecured to it a stud or bolt Zr. which extends through a slot oropening in the bar or plate t" and is provided on its inner end with ananti-friction roll Z which extends into the cam groove 'n' on the faceof the stationary cylinder. (See Figs. 7, 8, and 10.) With thisconstruction it will be seen that as the die-carrying cylinder isrevolved the cam grooves fm n may act on the antifriction rollers of thestuds or bolts k Za and move the bars fi'j and their attached diesindependently or in unison, in a direction axially of the cylinder.

o designates a studded or spiked chain belt or apron extended over thesprocket wheels 1J q', the former being arranged centrally below thecylinder g and the latter at any desired distant point. One of the saidsprocket Wheels may be driven in any convenient Way, so as to cause theupper portion of the chain belt to travel in a direction from themachine proper, and the lower portion to move toward the sprocket wheel79.

r is a tank of water, or other suitable liquid, from which are led pipess which communicate with atomizers t u', the former to spray andlubrcate the soap alley CZ', and the latter the dies, die-boxes, andassociated parts. But one atomizer u. is clearly shown in Fig. l, buttwo may be, and in common practice are, used, so that the spray may bemade to impinge against each of the faces of the dies, which, as beforeexplained, operate in pairs. Air under pressure may be supplied to thepipes s from any suitable source through the pipe 'u'.

The pipes s may be made of rubber or other com pressible material, andin order that the atomizers u may operate intermittingly, so as to throwa spray only when the dies and die-boxes come into position opposite thesaid atomizers, we may provide an angular bail or loop w', and hinge orpivot it at the point of its angle as at w2 upon the frame in such'manner and position that its substantially Fig. 2.) The said bail orloop will be suitably' spring-pressed, so that its vertical part or army will normally bear against the flexible pipe at the point z', and soclose the passage through the same, and shut otf the air from theatomizing or spraying device u. When, however, the cam a," acts upon thehorizontal part or arm w3 of the bail or loop, the vertical part or army' will be drawn away from the flexible pipe s', air will be admittedtherethrough and the spraying device will be operated. The parts are so.timed as that the spraying device will be operated the moment the diescome into proximity thereto.

d3 designates what is termed a dam against which the cakes of soapcarried forward by the apron or belt in the raceway w are stopped sothat they can be engaged by the spikes or projections a2 of the studdedchain c', as hereinafter explained.

b2 designates the track or bottom of the soap alley OZ.

c2 is a spring arranged to bear upon the cake of soap before it is fedbetween the dies and arrest the momentum of said cake after the spike a2of the chain c' leaves it.

f2 designates a pivoted holder provided with arms g2 7a2 upon whichbears the free end of a springj2 to maintain the holder in normalposition.

e2 designates a stop-shoulder formed on the holder to stop the cake inproper position as it is fed forward between the dies.

Z2 designates a plain surface on the cylinder g between the die-boxesupon which the cake rst rests after leaving the support b2, and d2designates a spring adapted to bear downward on the cake after it is fedthereunder and upon the surface Z2 of the cylinder g.

While the cylinders g and Z are equipped with many parts of the samestructural character and functions on opposite sides of the IOO IICI

dies and die boxes, neither of the said cylinders is divided along theline of movement of said dies and die-boxes. (See Figs. 3 and 6.) Asbefore stated the cylinder Z is fixed on the shaft i and the cylinder gis revolved around the former.

In the operation of the machine, the cakes of soap will be placed uponthe traveling apron w and carried by it against the dam d3 in the soapalley CZ in the bottom of which, though out of contact with the soap,travels the endless chain or belt c. The apron or belt o which will havebeen lubricated by the roller y in the tank as, will be so speeded as toslip beneath the cakes of soap stopped against the dam d3, so that acake may always be in position against the dam to be engaged by a studor spike a2 of the endless belt c and moved along on the support b2forming the bottom of the soap alley CZ. The belt c will be timed in itsmovement to accord with the time of movement of the cylinder g, so thatthe third cake in the rear upon the support h2 will force forward thecake which had previously passed under and was arrested in its movementby the spring c2, ahead upon the surface Z2 of the cylinder g andagainst the stop-shoulder e2 of the triple-armed holder j"2 and underthe spring d2. After the cylinder g shall have moved to the positionshown in Fig. 3, bringing a recess h2 beneath and the dies to the sidesof the forward cake of soap, the spring d2 will force the said cake downinto place in the said recess between the dies under the arm 2 of theholder which Will maintain it in proper positionuntil it is taken by thedies. A spring 3'2 is constructed and arranged to bear upon the arm k2of the holder to cause the latter to act in the desired man ner andrestore it to its normal position after a cake of soapshall have beencarried therefromunder, in which normal position the spring `7'2 willbear upon both arms g2 k2 ofthe holder. The form of the cam grooves m'n' in the stationary cylinder is such that when a pair of dies arriveson top of the latter cylinder they will be in separate position, so asto receive a cake of soap therebetween, as is shown in the rstoruppermost representation in the diagram portrayed by Fig. l0. In thecontinued movement of the cylinder g, both parts of the striking diewill be advanced in unison, (owing to the form of the cam grooves m nacting upon the bars i 37,) carrying the said cake of soap over againstthe opposite die, as is indicated in the second position represented inFig. l0. The dies with the cake of soap held between them will remain inthis position until they have advanced from under the arm 2 of theholder f2, when they will advance to the full stroke of the strikingdies as shown in the third position in Fig. l0. The bars t" j', carryingthe dies which operate at all times in the die-box, are at this pointforced against the yoke or bar m2 which is arranged in their rear, andthe angular arms n.2 of which are adapted to slide in guides or bearingso2 on the cylinder l g. Stout springs p2 are attached at one of ,theirends tothe said arms n2 and are connected at their other ends to boltsp8 which pass through holes formed in lugs p4, connected with thecylinderg, and on the screwthreaded ends of the said bolts are nuts, p5,by the turning up or out of which the tension of the said springs p2 maybe adjusted. The cam grooves m n', on the right, as viewed in Fig.A lOare widened between the points 43, 43, where the compression of the soapby the dies takes place, in order that the force eX- erted by theadvance of the striking dies may be received upon the springs p2 of thelbars 17j of the receding dies, and said dies with their rolls or bowls ZZ may yield axially ot' the cylinder unconned by the cam grooves m n ifthe cake under compression should chance to be unduly large. Thisconstruction is designed to give suitable and proper compression toshape fthe cakes, which may vary somewhat in their dimensions beforebeing pressed, and also to relieve the .machine from undue strain. Theset of dies with the compressed cake between them' then recede to thefourth position shown'in Fig. l0, in which the" striking die is clear ofthe die-box. This position is taken in order that air may be admittedwhen the outer `or border portion ot` the striking dies recedes as shownin the fth position of this ligure. Then all parts of the die recede inunison until the outer or border portion of the opposite or buer dieemerges from the die-box'and then pauses. The other parts of the diecontinue to recede, the panel part of the striking die receding morerapidly than the others, to the sixth position of the ligure. At thispoint the cake of soap will ordinarily be freed from the dies/and willfall upon the guide or chute c4 from which it will slide upon thestudded chain o. -Should the cake, however, adhere to thepanel part ofthe buffer die, it will be detached by being brought into contact withthe border portion of the die as the panel portion recedes to theseventh position of the figure. At the same ltime,`the panel portion ofthe striking7 die is advanced to knock or jostle the cake should itadhere to the recess h2. These movements take place and are completedduring the first half of the revolution of the cylinder.` The dies thentake the position shown in the eighth position of the figure, which theyretain during the completion of the cycle. Should the molded cake stillhave adhered in the recess h2 after the dies have been retracted, whichmight happen should the cake or recess have been too freely moistened bythe feed belt in the race-way w or by the atomizers, it will be freed bythe lower forward corner ofthe cake being brought into contact with therod r2 which extends across the path of the cake as shown in Fig. 3, andwhich is connected with the upper end of a springpressed lever s2. Thesaid rod r2 will yield so lOO as not to materially deform the moldedcake, but will act with sucient force to free the latter from the recessh2 and will tip it over upon the studded apron or chain o.

t2 designates scrap-removing knives supported upon any stationary partof the machine and arranged close to the line of travel of the face ofthe die-boxes to remove any scrap adhering thereto to prevent clogging.This important feature of the invention is most clearly shown in Figs. 3and 4:.

If the scrap which quickly collects upon the die-boxes were not quitethoroughly removed, the machine would soon become so clogged as to beinoperative.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and arrangement ofparts comprising the invention without departing from the nature orspirit thereof.

It is also obvious that parts of the invention are applicable to othermachines than soap-presses, and we do not therefore restrict ourimprovements to any particular use or uses.

Having thus described the nature of our invention and explained a way ofconstructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forthall of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of itsemployment, we declare that what we claim is- 1. A soap press comprisingin its construction a revoluble cylinder provided with a diebox andapair of axially movable dies for act` ing upon the cakes of soapdelivered thereto, substantially as described.

2. A soap press comprising in its construction a revol uble cylinder, adie-box, and apair of axially movable dies for acting upon the soap inthe die-box, one of said dies being cushioned or yielding, substantiallyas described.

3. A soap press comprising in its construction a revoluble cylinder, adie-box, a pair of axially movable dies for acting upon the soap, anappliance for cushioning one of said dies, and means for adjusting thecushion to exert greater or less tension, substantially as described.

4. A soap press comprising in its construction a revoluble cylinderprovided with a plurality of pairs of axially movable dies, a travelingapron for delivering cakes of soap to the dies,and a traveling apron forreceiving and carrying away molded cakes of soap delivered from thedies, substantially as described.

5. A soap press comprising in its construction a revoluble cylinderprovided with a pair of axially movable dies, and a stationary cylinder,around which the first mentioned cylinder revolves, provided with camsto act upon and move the dies, substantially as described.

6. Asoap press comprising in its construction a revoluble cylinderprovided with a pair of axially movable dies, die box, and scrapremoving knives arranged in close proximity to the line or path oftravel of the face of the die box, substantially as described.

7. Asoap press comprising in its construction a revoluble cylinderprovided with axially movable dies, and intermittingly operatedatomizing or spraying devices for spraying the said dies, substantiallyas described.

8. Means for feeding cakes of soap to dies of a soap press comprising inits construction a soap alley provided with a fixed track upon which thecakes of soap may move, a traveling chain or belt arranged parallel withthe soap alley but out of line with the track, and provided at intervalswith spikes or studs, a

carrying apron or belt, arranged at an angle to the soap alley andspiked chain or belt, to carry the cakes of soap to the latter and a damto stop the cakes of soap at the soap alley, whereby the spikes of thechain or belt may engage the cakes successively and move them forward onthe track substantially as described.

9. The combination of the soap alley provided with a fixed track uponwhich the cakes of soap may be moved, means for feeding the cakes ofsoap to the soap alley, a dam to stop a cake of soap in proper positionin the soap alley, with the spiked or studded chain or belt constructedor arranged parallel with the said soap alley but out of line with thetrack thereof, whereby the spikes of the chain or belt may engage thecakes stopped at the dam and move the same forward on the track, as setforth.

l0. A soap press comprising in its construction a revoluble cylinderprovided with the plane surface Z2 and the recess h2, and axiallymovable dies carried by the cylinder for molding the soap delivered inthe said recess, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with the soap alley and means for feeding the cakesof soap forward therein, of the revoluble cylinder and axially movablesoap-molding dies carried thereby, the holder f 2 provided with thestopshoulder e2, and the spring d2, substantially as set forth.

l2. Asoap press comprising in its construction a pair of movable diesadapted to engage and press a cake of soap between them, each die beingcomposed of a plurality of parts, and each part being independentlymovable, and means for moving the parts of each die as a unit, and meansfor subsequently moving the said parts independently and out of timewith another, whereby a cake of soap may be rst molded and subsequentlyautomatically freed from the dies, substantially as set forth.

13. A soap press comprisinginits construction a revoluble cylinderprovided with a plurality of pairs of movable dies, each pair beingadapted to engage and press a cake of soap between them, and means formoving the said dies as the cylinder is revolved, substantially as setforth.

14. A soap press comprising in its construc- IOO TIO

tion a revoluble cylinder provided with a plurality of pairs of movabledies, each pair being adapted to engage and press a cake of soap betweenthem, and a stationary cylinder around which the first Jmentionedcylinder revolves, the said stationary cylinder being provided with camsfor moving the said dies substantially as set forth.

15. A soap press comprising in its construction a continuously movablerevoluble cylinder provided with a plurality of pairs of movable dies,each pair being constructed and arranged` to engage and press a cake ofsoap between them and to be separated after the cake ispressed todischarge the same, substantially as set forth.

16. A soap press comprising in its construction a continuously movablerevoluble cylinder provided with a plurality of pairs of movable dies,each pair being constructed and arranged to engage and press a cake ofsoap between them and to be separated after the Icake is pressed todischarge the same and a stationary drum around which the cylinderrevolves provided with cams for acting upon the dies, to move the same,substantially as set forth.

17. A soap press comprising in its construction a continuously movablerevoluble cylinder provided with a plurality of pairs of movable dies,each pair being constructed and l arranged to engage a cake of soapbetween them when they arrive at substantially their highest point oftravel on the cylinder, to press the said cake, and discharge the samewhen they arrive at substantially their lowest point of travel, andmeans as described for moving the dies, substantially as set forth.

, 18. A soap press comprising in its construction a continuously movablerevoluble cylinder provided with a plurality of pairs of movable dies,each pair being constructed and arranged to engage a cake of soapbetween them when they arrive at substantially their highest point oftravel on the cylinder, to press the said cake, and discharge the samewhen they arrive at substantially their lowest point of travel, and astationary drum around which the cylinder revolves, provided with camsfor acting upon the dies to move the same, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof lwe have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 27th day of April, A. D.1892.

' EDWIN D. MELLEN.

GEORGE C. BEOKWITH. Witnesses:

JAMES W. LovELAND, ARTHUR W. CRossLEY.

